This invention relates to a memory card device used as an auxiliary memory unit of information equipment, a video game apparatus having a function to store game data, etc. into an auxiliary memory unit, and a program providing medium.
A conventional memory card used in the state inserted into information equipment, etc. is caused to be of the configuration comprising interface for connecting to the body of information equipment and non-volatile memory element for storing data.
FIG. 1A shows an example of the configuration of the main part of such a conventional memory card. This conventional memory card 80 comprises a control unit 81 for controlling its operation, a connector 82 for connecting to terminal provided within slot of information equipment, etc., and a non-volatile memory 86 for storing data, wherein the connector 82 and the non-volatile memory 86 are connected to the control unit 81.
The control unit 81 is constituted by using, e.g., microcomputer. Moreover, as non-volatile memory 86, flash memory, e.g., EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), etc. is used. Moreover, there are also instances where, for connection interface to information equipment, etc., microcomputer is used as control unit for interpreting protocol.
FIG. 1B shows control item in the control unit 81 of the conventional memory card 80.
As stated above, the conventional memory card comprises body connection interface for connecting to body of information equipment, etc. and memory interface for carrying out input/output of data with respect to non-volatile memory.
Moreover, conventional video game apparatus as in the home TV game apparatus has a function to store game data, etc. into the auxiliary memory unit. The above-described memory card is used also as auxiliary memory unit of such video game apparatus.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional video game apparatus using memory card as auxiliary memory unit. A body 2 of this conventional video game apparatus (unit) 11 is accommodated within substantially square casing, and is composed of a disc mounting portion 3 onto which optical disc which is recording medium on which application program of the video game is recorded is loaded at the central portion thereof, a reset switch 4 for arbitrarily resetting game, a power switch 5, a disc operation switch 6 for operating loading of the optical disc, and, e.g., two slot portions 7A, 7B.
Memory card 80 used as the auxiliary memory unit is inserted with respect to these slot portions 7A, 7B, and, e.g., result, etc. of game executed on video game unit 11 is sent from the control unit (CPU) 19 and is written into the non-volatile memory 86. In this case, plural operation units (controllers) (not shown) are also connected to the slot portions 7A, 7B so that plural users can carry out waging war game, etc. at the same time.
As described above, the conventional memory card only comprises a body connection interface for connecting to body of information equipment, etc. and memory interface for carrying out input/output of data with respect to the non-volatile memory. Namely, the conventional memory card only has a function as merely auxiliary memory unit, and data stored in the non-volatile memory could not be utilized by memory card alone.
In addition, the conventional video game apparatus can operate application program only on the game apparatus body, and game result, etc. can be stored into memory card device used as the auxiliary memory unit. For this reason, game result, etc. stored in the memory card could not be effectively reflected for game executed at times subsequent thereto.
This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a memory card device which can not only simply store data, but also down loads application program to independently execute it, or to carry out cooperative operation while carrying out transmission/reception of its execution result between the memory card device and other information equipment.
Moreover, in order to solve problems as described above, another object of this invention is to provide a video game apparatus capable of down-loading application program of video game into memory card used as the auxiliary memory unit from the body of video game unit, or taking thereinto result of game independently executed on its memory card to carry out cooperative operation to constitute game executed at times subsequent thereto, etc., and a program providing medium for supplying application program.
Namely, a memory card device according to this invention comprises a memory for storing data and an interface connecting to information equipment, and functions as auxiliary memory unit of connected information equipment, the device comprising a program storage memory for storing program, a control unit for controlling execution of the program, a display unit for displaying information in accordance with the program to be executed, an operation input unit for operating the program, and a power supply unit for supplying power utilized for executing the program.
Moreover, a video game apparatus according to this invention is directed to a video game apparatus having a function to store game data obtained by executing game into an auxiliary memory unit, the apparatus comprising a program providing unit for supplying application program, a communication control unit connected to a main bus to which a central processing unit of the video game apparatus body is connected, and a slot connected to the main bus through the communication control unit and adapted so that the auxiliary memory unit is detachably connected, wherein the central processing unit has a control function to down-load application program from the program providing unit with respect to the auxiliary memory unit through the communication control unit.
Further, a video game apparatus according to this invention is directed to a video game apparatus having a function to store game data obtained by executing game with respect to an auxiliary memory unit, the apparatus comprising a program providing unit for supplying application program, a communication control unit connected to a main bus to which a central processing unit of the video game apparatus body is connected, and a common slot connected to the main bus through the communication control unit and adapted so that the auxiliary memory unit and a memory card unit are detachably connected, the auxiliary memory unit having a non-volatile memory for storing game data obtained by executing game by the video game apparatus body, the memory card device including a program memory for storing the down-loaded application program, and a control unit for executing the down-loaded application program independently of the video game.
Further, a memory card device according to this invention is directed to a memory card device having an interface connectable to information equipment, the memory card device comprising a program storage memory for storing program, a control unit for controlling execution of the program, a display unit for displaying information in accordance with the executed program, an operation input unit for operating the program, and a power supply unit for supplying power utilized for executing the program, wherein the program is down loaded into the program memory through an interface from the connected information equipment, and program down-loaded into the auxiliary memory unit and program executed in the information equipment body are application programs different from each other.
Further, a program providing medium according to this invention is directed to a providing medium for providing application program with respect to a video game apparatus (unit), wherein at least two different application programs are recorded with respect to the providing medium, and one of the at least two different application programs is application program executed in the video game unit and the other one is application program executed in memory card unit connected to the video game unit.
In accordance with this invention, there can be provided a video game apparatus having a function to down-load application program of video game with respect to a memory card device (unit) capable of independently executing program of down-loaded application software or capable of carrying out cooperative operation while carrying out transmission/reception of its execution result between the memory card unit and other information equipment, and memory card unit used as auxiliary memory unit, or to take thereinto result of game independently executed on its memory card unit to carry out cooperative operation to constitute games executed at times subsequent thereto, etc.